Synodicon in Gallia reformata, or, The acts, decisions, decrees, and canons of those famous national councils of the reformed churches in France being I. a most faithful and impartial history of the rise, growth, perfection and decay of the reformation in that kingdom, with its fatal catastrophe upon the revocation of the Edict of Nants in the year 1685 : II. the confession of faith and discipline of those churches : III. a collection of speeches, letters, sacred politicks, cases of conscience, and controversies in divinity, determined and resolved by those grave assemblies : IV. many excellent expedients for preventing and healing schisms in the churches and for re-uniting the dismembred body of divided Protestants : V. the laws, government, and maintenance of their colleges, universities and ministers, together with their exercise of discipline upon delinquent ministers and church-members : VI. a record of very many illustrious events of divine providence relating to those churches : the whole collected and composed out of original manuscript acts of those renowned synods : a work never be extant in any language.

CHAP. IV. Concerning the Perseverance of SAINTS.

• CANON I. THOSE whom God calleth according to his determinate pur∣pose unto the Fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, and regenerateth by his Holy Spirit, he delivers them from the Dominion and Slavery of Sin, but not wholly from their Flesh and Body of Sin in this Life.
• CANON II. Hence it is that we dayly see so many sins of Infirmity, and that the best Works of Saints are not without their Spots, which is a continual ground for their deep humiliation before God, and of recourse unto a crucified Jesus, and dayly more and more to mortifie the Flesh by the Spirit of Prayer, and the Sacred exercises of Piety, and to breath after

• perfection, till that being rid of this Body of Sin, they may for ever Reign in Heaven with the Lamb of God.
• CANON III. By reason of the Remainders of Sin indwelling in them, and of the Worlds and Satans Temptations those who be converted could not per∣sist in this Grace, if they were left unto their own Strength. But God is faithful, who through the Riches of his Mercy doth confirm them in that Grace, which he hath once given them, and will keep them by his power unto the end.
• CANON IV. Now although this power of God strengthning and preserving true Believers in their Estate of Grace, be so very great that it can never be surmounted by the Flesh, yet so is it, that Converts are not alwayes so guided and moved of God as they may not through their own fault in some particular Actions swerve from the Conduct of his Grace, and be seduced by the Lusts of the Flesh, to obey it. Therefore they ought alwayes to watch and pray, that they may not be led into temptation; and in case they neglect this their Duty, they are not only obnoxious to be seduced and drawn away by the Flesh, the World, and Satan into grievous and atrocious Sins, but by the just permission of God they do actually fall, and that very shamefully. And we have sad instances of this in David, Peter, and divers other Godly Persons mentioned in Scripture.
• CANON V. In the mean while by such Sins they hainously offend God, and ren∣der themselves guilty of Death, they grieve the Holy Spirit, they in∣terrupt the Course and Exercise of their Faith, they do wound their Consciences most sorely, and may lose the Sence and Feeling of the grace of God for a time, 'till that he do once again lift up the Light of his Fatherly loving Countenance upon them, vvhich he may do up∣on the serious renevval of their Repentance, and returning into the good vvayes of their Duty.
• CANON VI. For God vvho is rich in Mercy according to the unchangeable pur∣pose of Election doth not utterly take away from his own his Holy Spirit, no not in their greatest and most lamentable falls, nor doth he suffer them to fall so low as to lose the grace of Adoption, and their Estate of Justification, or to commit that Sin unto Death against the Holy Ghost. Nor doth he so forsake them, as to suffer them to be pre∣cipitated into Everlasting Destruction.
• CANON VII. For even under those falls God preserveth in them principally and most carefully his Immortal Seed of Regeneration, so that it is not totally lost nor destroyed in them: Yea, and afterwards he doth truely and

• effectually renew them by his Word and Spirit, and bring them to Repentance, working in them a godly sorrow for their Sins, so that with a contrite and broken heart, they do petition for, and obtain their pardon through Faith in the Blood of the Mediator, and feel once again the Grace of a Reconciled God, and adore his faithfulness and tender bowels of Compassion, and do for the future work out their Salvation more sollicitously, with fear and trembling.
• CANON VIII. So then 'tis not from any Merit or Strength of their own, but by the Sole and Soveraign Free Grace and Mercy of God, that they do not totally loose Faith and Grace, nor live, and die, and perish finally in their Sins, which might easily have been done, and without all doubt would have eventually befallen them, had it not been for God himself, who can in no wise suffer his Council to be changed, nor his Promise to be vacated, nor that their Calling decreed in his Eternal Purpose should be revoked, nor the Merit, and Intercession of the Lord Jesus, and his keeping of them should be annihilated, nor the Seal of his Holy Spirit to be evacuated and abolished.
• CANON IX. And as for that keeping of the Elect unto Salvation, and the per∣severance of true Believers in Faith, Believers themselves may be, and are according to the Degrees of their Faith assured of it, by which they be certainly perswaded that they are and shall continue true and live∣ly Members of Christs Church, and that they shall obtain the forgive∣ness of all their Sins, and at last Everlasting Life.
• CANON X. And therefore this Assurance doth not arise from any particular Re∣velation, which is besides or without the Word, but it proceedeth from Faith in Gods promises, which he hath most abundantly revealed in his Holy Word for our comfort, and from the witness of his Holy Spirit, together with our Spirit, that we be the Children and Heirs of God, Rom. 8.16, 17. and finally from a Serious and Religious Study and en∣deavour to keep a good Conscience, and the unwearied performance of good works. And should Gods Elect be deprived here below of this Sacred Consolation, that they shall obtain at last the Victory, should they be destitute of this infallible pledge and earnest of Eternal Glory, they would be of all Men the most miserable.
• CANON XI. Yet notwithstanding the Scriptures testifie that Believers must con∣flict in this Life with many doubts, arising from the Flesh, and being thus agitated with grievous temptations they may not then feel this full Consolation of Faith, and this certainty of preserving. But God the Father of all Consolation, will not suffer them to be tempted above what they are able to bear; but together with the temptation, will give them strength to undergo it, and a most happy issue out of it.

• 1 Cor. 10.13. and by his Holy Spirit will again revive in them the assurance of their perseverance.
• CANON XII. And this Assurance of persevering to the end is so far from rendring true Believers proud, or plunging them into Carnal Security, that its rather the Soarce and Root of true Humility, and of Filial Fear, of true Godliness and Patience in all our Conflicts and Combats, of most ardent Prayers, constancy under the Cross, confession of the Truth, and of Solid Rejoycing in God. So that the Consideration of this bene∣fit is a Spur and Incentive to quicken and provoke them to a serious and dayly Exercise of Thanksgiving, and good Works. As is evident from Scripture Instances, and the Examples of Saints.
• CANON XIII. So that when as the Confidence of Perseverance is enkindled again in the faithful, which are recovered from their falls, this doth not beget in them a laziness and neglect of Piety, but a far greater care to keep themselves in the ways of God, which are ordained for us to walk in: And they retain the certainty of their hope, least by abusing the Pater∣nal Love and Kindness of their God, he should once again turn away his gracious and loving Countenance from them, (the sight whereof is unto all the faithful far better than Life, and the deprival of it far more bitter than Death) and they should fall into greater anguish and tor∣ments of Conscience.
• CANON XIV. And forasmuch as it hath pleased God by his grace to begin his Work in us through the preaching of the Gospel, so also will he preserve, continue and perfect it by the Hearing, Reading, Counsels, Threatnings and Promises of the Gospel, and by our Usage of the Sacraments.
• CANON XV. This Doctrine of the Assurance and Perseverance of Real Saints and sound Believers, which is so abundantly revealed by God in his Word unto the glory of his Name, and the Consolation of Pious Souls, and which is imprinted by him on the hearts of the Faithful, is such as no Flesh can comprehend, Satan hates, the World laugheth at, the Igno∣rant and Hypocrites abuse, and is opposed by erroneous Spirits. But on the other hand, it hath been ever beloved, and that most ardently by the Spouse of Christ, and as a most inestimable Treasure constantly defended, which God also will cause her evermore to defend, so as no Counsel nor Force shall be ever able to prevail against it. Now to this one God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit be Honour and Glory for ever, and ever, Amen.

Errors Rejected. The Orthodox Doctrine having been Explained, the Synod Rejects their Errors.

• CANON. I. WHO teach that the Perseverance of True Believers is not an effect of Election, nor a gift of ••od purchased by the Death of Christ, but its a Condition of the New Covenant, which Man before his Election and peremptory Justification, as they call it, must of his free will accomplish; for the Sacred Scriptures witnesseth that it flow∣eth from Election, and is given unto the Elect by vertue of the Death, Resurrection, and Intercession of Jesus Christ, Rom. 11.7. The Election hath obtained it, and the others are hardned. Also Rom. 8.31, 32, 33, 34. He that hath not spared his only Son, but given him for us all, how shall he not also give us with him all other things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of ••ods Elect? It is God that will justifie. Who will condemn? It is Christ that is dead, yea rather, who is risen again from the Dead, and who sitteth at the right hand of God, and who also maketh Intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the Love of Christ? Shall it be Oppression? Or Tribulation? Or Fa∣mine? Or Peril, or Sword? Yea in all these things we are more than Conquerors through him who hath loved us.
• CANON. II. Who teach, That God doth indeed provide for the Believer strength enough, and power sufficient for perseverance, and that in case he do his Duty, God will preserve him: However let all things be suppo∣sed, which may be needful to perseverance in Faith, and which God will make use of for his preservation, yet still it depends upon the Liber∣ty of Mans Will whether he will persevere or not. This Opinion is bare-fac't Pelagianisme; and whilst the Professor of it would make Man free, they make him Sacrilegious: Besides, it is against the perpetual consent of the Gospel-Doctrine, which removes from Man all grounds of boasting, and ascribes the Glory of this benefit to the Grace of God only; And it thwarteth the Testimony of St. Paul, who saith, 1 Cor. 1.8. that God will confirm us unto the end, that we may be blame∣less in the day of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
• CANON. III. Who teach that the Faithful and Regenerate may not only fall to∣tally and finally from Justifying Faith, and from Grace and Salvation, but also that they often do so, and perish Everlastingly, for this Opi∣nion doth not only annihilate the Grace of Justification and Regene∣ration,

• but also the perpetual keeping of the Lord Jesus Christ, con∣trary to the express words of the Holy Apostle St. Paul, Rom. 5.9, 10. If Christ died for us when we were Sinners, much more than being now justified by his Blood, shall we be saved from Wrath by him. And against the Apostle St. John, 1 Ep. 3.9. Whosoever is born of God sinneth not, for the Seed of God abideth in him, and he cannot sin, because he is born of God, and against the vvords of Jesus Christ, John 10.28, 29. And I give unto them Eternal Life, and they shall never perish, nor shall any pluck them out of my hand, my Father vvho hath given them unto me is greater than all, and no one can take them out of my Fathers hands. I and my Father are one.
• CANON. IV. Who teach that Believers and Regenerate Persons may sin the sin un∣to Death, that is, they may commit that unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost. Although the beloved Apostle and Disciple of Our Lord in the fifth Chapter of his First Epistle, after that he had spoken in the sixteenth and seventeenth verses of those vvho commit the Sin unto Death, and forbidden all Prayers for them, added in the eighteenth verse, We knovv that vvhosoever is born of God sinneth not, but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that vvicked one toucheth him not.
• CANON. V. Who teach, That none can have in this Life without special Revela∣tion any certainty of their perseverance. For by this Doctrine the faithful are deprived of the most solid substantial comfort, which is to be had in this Life, and are abandoned to the diffidence, and wavering floating opinions and doubts of the Romish Church. But the Sacred Scriptures every where deriveth this Assurance not from any special or extraordi∣nary Revelation, but from the proper marks of the Children of God, and from his infallible Promises, especially from the Apostle St. Paul, Rom. 8.38. No Creature can separate us from the Love of God, which he hath shown us in Jesus Christ our Lord, 1 John 3.24. He that keepeth his Commandments abideth in him, and God in him: And by this vve knovv that he abideth in us by his Spirit, vvhich he hath given us.
• CANON. VI. Who teach, That the Doctrine of Assurance of Perseverance and Salvation is a Pillovv for the Flesh to sleep on more securely, and is in and of it self injurious unto Godlyness, Good Works, Prayers, and all Holy Duties and Religious Exercises. And on the contrary it is a lau∣dable thing to be diffident and doubtful. But such Persons bevvray their Ignorance, and are mere Strangers to the efficacy of Divine Grace, and to the operation of the Holy Ghost dvvelling in the Elect, and con∣tradict the Apostle St. John, vvho doth in express terms assert the contrary, 1 John 3.2. Beloved novv are vve the Children of God, but vvhat vve shall be is not yet knovvn. But this vve knovv, that vvhen he shall appear, vve shall be like unto him; for vve shall see

• him even as he is. And they must be more abundantly convinced by the Examples of Gods Saints both in the Old and New Testament, who although they were assured of their Perseverance and Salvation, did not thereupon neglect dayly Prayers, or other Acts, Duties and Exer∣cises of True Piety and Religion.
• CANON. VII. Who teach, That there is no difference between a Temporary Faith, and that which is Saving and Justifying, excepting the duration of it. For the Lord Jesus himself doth manifestly remark three other differen∣ces between those who believe but for a time, and true Believers, when as he saith, (Matth. 13.20. and Luke 8.13. and the verses fol∣lowing.) That those are they who receive the Seed in stony ground, and these in good ground or in an honest heart, that the former had no root, but these have a firm root, the one brought no fruit, but these pro∣duced their fruits constantly and perseveringly in divers degrees and measures.
• CANON. VIII. Who teach, that it is no absurdity to say, that when as the first Regeneration is extinct, a Man may be born again, yea, he may be of∣ten new born. For by this Doctrine the Seed of God by which we be new born is made corruptible; directly contrary to the Witness of St. Peter, Ep. 1. cap. 23. Being born again not of corruptible Seed, but of that which is incorruptible.
• CANON. IX. Who teach, That our Lord Jesus Christ did no where pray for the infallible perseverance of Believers in the Faith, for they contradict our Lord himself, Luke 22.32. I have prayed, Simon Peter, that thy Faith may not fail. And the very Letter of St. John's Gospel, chap. 17.11. where Christ saith, that he did not pray for his Apostles only, but also for all them, who should believe by their Word. Holy Father keep them in thy Name, and ver. 15. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the World, but that thou shouldest keep them from evil.
• CANON. X. We Pastors and Elders whose Names are hereunder-written, Depu∣ties for the Reformed Churches of France unto the National Synod of Charenton St. Maurice near Paris, in the Moneth of September, 1623. do declare with all possible sincerity, the Articles and Canons above∣mentioned to be grounded on the Word of God, and agreeable to the Confession of Faith, owned and received in the Reformed Churches of this Kingdom, from which in the presence of God we do protest, that through his Grace, we will never depart.

In confirmation whereof

we have hereunto affixt our Names, at Charenton aforesaid, this 30th. day of September, 1623.

Signed by the Pastors and Elders of the said Synod.

• Durand Moderator
• De Baille Assessor
• Faucheur and Scribes
• De Launay Scribes
• Berbie Pastor of the Church of Quaissac.
• ...J. Clerc de Chambrun
• Chamier Pastor of Montlimart
• J. le Pelletier Pastor in the Church of Vandome
• Savoys Pastor in the Church of Castres.
• Sir John Embelier
• Jurieu Pastor of Chastillon on the Loir.
• ...Villon.
• ...Faures
• J. M. de Langle Pastor of Rouen
• P. Paulet Pastor of Vezenobre
• Avignon Pastor of Rennes
• P. Beraud Pastor and Professor in the Church of Montauban.
• Lottiby Pastor at Poitiers
• William Rivett Pastor of Taillebourg in Xaintonge.